


sacrificial EP

by DestinyFreeReally



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: Alcohol Mentions, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 11:50:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10661991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DestinyFreeReally/pseuds/DestinyFreeReally
Summary: In the wake of Genoa, Mac's about to give in to the temptation to curl up and quit, to save them all. Like in canon, Will can't let her.





	sacrificial EP

 Without flicking on the light in his office, Will sunk deep into his chair, lighting a cigarette and exhaling a deep, slow breath.    
  
    “Billy?” Will jumped, when a small voice came from below his desk.   
  
_ “Mac?” _ Will sputtered, pushing his chair back, and reaching for her elbows to help her up. “What the hell are you- are you alright?”   
  
   In the early dusk light from the windows, he could see the glisten under her eyes; the shine of the shame they all felt.   
  
   “I need you to fire me. Please, Will, please fire me.” She pleaded, sliding her hand over his, leaning back against his desk. Her voice was raw, and weak. “I just, really need you to fire me, I can’t make that clearer. I understand that me  _ asking _ you to do it probably takes out some of the fun, but. Please.”   
  
    Will looked up at her, met her eyes for long seconds; they’d done everything right, she’d done everything right. Months of hard, hard work flushed down the drain so quickly his head was still spinning with it, because they’d been scammed at every step. By no means was he about to make her the sacrificial EP in all this; she didn’t deserve that, it wasn’t right.    
  
    “I’m sorry, Mac, I can’t fire you.” He sighed, watching her face fall, and… “Have you been drinking? Are you drunk?” Confused, Will watched her bit her lip, and nod slowly.    
  
    “Getting a head start on my unemployment.” Mac let out a laugh, short and bitter. “We fucked up, Will. I fucked up, so hard.” Her chest ached with it, how every story they’d ever done would be second guessed, how News Night 2.0 would be the baby out with the bathwater, how Will himself would be the face of the scandal. “Fire me. You can _so_ fire me, you made extra special sure of it, remember? Fire me.” She insisted, no longer asking.    
  
    “You followed every rule in the book, dotted every i and crossed every t, Mackenzie.” Will reached to cup her jaw, against her wince. “We just… got it wrong,” He sighed, and shrugged. They’d gotten Genoa wrong, after making sure for months that they were getting it right. “I’m not firing you. Nobody’s getting fired.” It was a promise to her, a new deal; their show, what they were doing, would prevail.    
  
    Mac laughed again, a little more genuinely, with a little less pain.    
  
    “Somebody’s going to have to be fired, Will.” Her tone sobered, mind reeling through the work they’d all done; they work they all wanted to continue to do. “I finished your scotch.” She said, a little sorry, kicking the empty bottle from out under his desk.    
  
    “Charlie’s bound to have more.” Will gave her a small smile, looking at her too hard, seeing only the best things about her. Seeing only the great things about her, he had to smile; even if they’d gotten it wrong. 


End file.
